Tigers pip Treviso

A late penalty try helped Leicester record a vital 14-13 victory over Treviso at Stadio di Monigo that took them top of Pool 2 on Saturday.

A late penalty try helped Leicester seal a critical 14-13 Heineken Cup win over Treviso at Stadio di Monigo that took them top of Pool 2 on Saturday.

The visitors began brightly at the Stadio Comunale di Monigo and, despite the inclement conditions in northern Italy, they attacked with ambition early on and were rewarded with a stunning breakaway try.

Ben Youngs started it all with a typically incisive run from right on his own try-line before Mathew Tait and Anthony Allen combined brilliantly in midfield to give Adam Thompstone the chance to surge over in the left-hand corner.

George Ford added the conversion but, despite a yellow card for Italian prop Michele Rizzo soon afterwards, they were the final points that the Tigers could muster in the first half.

Treviso, on the other hand, roared back into contention as the half wore on and they went into the interval with a 10-7 lead after referee Alain Rolland awarded them a penalty try and Alberto Di Bernardo knocked over the conversion and a late penalty.

Julian Salvi was guilty of dragging down a rolling maul to concede the try but, with almost 10 metres still to go to reach the try-line, Leicester may feel that the decision was harsh.

Di Bernardo edged the home side further in front early in the second half but the Tigers toiled away and, after Christian Loamanu was given the Italians' second yellow card of the match, they finally managed to make the crucial breakthrough.

The Irish referee had little choice but to even the penalty try count up with just a few minutes remaining after Leicester's scrum proved too powerful for the opposition and the men from the East Midlands held on to record a slender but priceless away win.